The problems of counterfeit petroleum products are widespread and well documented. Branded products, which possess favorable properties over competitors, are imitated for commercial gain. These counterfeit products may appear visually identical to the consumer as the branded product, but may lack favorable properties afforded through the addition of proprietary chemical additives. Moreover, significant commercial gain may also occur through the adulteration of a branded product with, for example, a readily available commercial solvent. As such, the ability to distinguish a genuine product or the dilution of such from imitations is valuable.
Another consideration arises from the identification and quantification of chemical additives. Chemical additives are important constituents of some oil-based products such as gasoline, diesel fuel, lubricating oils, and the like. The additives are designed to impart favorable chemical properties to a product such that their absence or reduction may result in a significant loss of performance of the product in question. These additives can be introduced at a central distribution point into products that may be distributed worldwide. As the performance of the product is often related to the quantity of chemical additive introduced into the final retailed product, a system capable of monitoring the additive at any point of the supply chain is advantageous.